Chino court closure likely to increase work at nearby courts

The closure of the Chino courthouse is expected to increase workload and operations at the other nearby courts in the San Bernardino County Superior Court system, but the details on how exactly have yet to be determined, officials said.

The system announced July13 that the Chino courthouse on Central Avenue would close effective Jan. 1 due to budgetary issues.

"That would result in some increase but exactly what that increase is, we're going to have to take a courtwide look into how the cases are assigned and processed, but it's probably a fair guess that there will be an increase overall to Fontana and Rancho," said Stephen Nash, court executive officer.

"It's premature to say what the specifics are."

The county court system is facing a $13.5million shortfall this fiscal year, and a $20 million to $21 million shortfall annually in subsequent fiscal years. The court is also facing $14 million to $18 million in additional cuts to its reserve.

"The level of cuts that this court is experiencing is unprecedented and simply staggering," Nash said.

Cost-saving measures systemwide include a partial closure or reductions of clerk office hours and a cutback in court administration workforce.

The county's court system has already closed courthouses in Twin Peaks and Redlands, two juvenile traffic courtrooms, and one juvenile delinquency courtroom.

With 71 authorized judges and 15 commissioners, the court system has only 57percent of the judicial officers it needs, officials said. The California chief justice has assigned retired judges to the court to help with caseloads, but the court has been required to provide staffing and other resources to support the assigned judges.

Officials said these reductions are limiting the ability to continue to provide staff to support courtrooms that remain open.

"There is going to be a workload impact on our courthouses," Nash said. "These are impacts that will have to be determined as we proceed."